WINDHOEK – A Namibian mother who claims her son who was studying in Cyprus was wrongfully jailed for drug possession has appealed for government intervention to have her son deported home to serve his sentence here.
The mother, Precious Namakau Limbo, who is currently unemployed, is also requesting financial assistance from good Samaritans to enable her to travel and visit her son, who is serving five years imprisonment in Cyprus.
Her son, Anton Matengu Nchindo, 23, was a student at Cyprus International University from February 2016, studying information technology.
But he is now serving time at the KKTC Merkezi Cezaevi prison. Nchindo was arrested and sentenced together with a Zambian female national identified only as Lisa.
“I don’t want to be here. Talk to the government to do something,” Nchindo begged his mother when he called her yesterday afternoon. There is also a social media post asking anybody with influence to assist Nchindo. New Era learnt Namibia has no embassy in Cyprus and relies on Germany.
Nchindo and Lisa faced charges of being in possession of 196 grams of marijuana. Although Nchindo admitted being in possession 0.1 gram of marijuana during his arrest, he denied ownership of the rest of the drugs.
According to Nchindo’s friend, Ashley Mbanga, a Namibian who is also a former student in Cyprus, Nchindo who lived in the north of Cyprus was arrested on January 2, 2018 together with Lisa, who lived in southern Cyprus.
Mbanga said Nchindo was supposed to pick up Lisa at the border where she was set to come “chill’ on the northern side of the country. However, Lisa had weed on her and she was caught at the border. Lisa allegedly said she wanted to give the prohibited leafy drug to Nchindo.
Mbanga added that Lisa has been arrested previously for possession of drugs and there is no evidence that the dagga was meant for Nchindo.
Mbanga said Lisa kept contacting Nchindo after she was arrested and shortly after arriving at the border Nchindo was arrested too and taken to the police station. “They were beaten, including the girl, she was beaten badly. The police tasered his testicles and spinal cord to force him to speak,” said Mbanga who stated that the police accused Nchindo of being in the business of distributing drugs. According to Nchindo, he did not know Lisa had weed and didn’t ask her to bring any weed. However, Nchindo was found in possession of 0.1 gram of marijuana when he came to the border.
Mbanga said as a result of the beating Nchindo fainted but the hospital didn’t provide a correct medical report and said there was nothing wrong with him.
As a result, Nchindo could not provide proof in court that he was assaulted by the police.
The police officers also coerced him while beating him to write a statement that the drugs were his, it is alleged.
Limbo told New Era the incident has psychologically affected her.
“With the economic crisis we are facing, I never went that side (Cyprus) to see him. Even if I buy a ticket, where am I going to stay? It’s expensive, they are using euros there,” remarked the mother.
The mother said she already spent about N$40,000 on the Cypriot lawyer who initially handled her son’s case, but whom she accuses of having swindled them as he did not do much and did not even appear in court.
Limbo wants someone to intervene to have her son deported back to Namibia so that he could serve his remaining jail time back home.
The mother said unlike in Namibia, prisoners in Cyprus are not allowed to study hence her request for her son to be deported back home so that by the time he is released from prison he is done with his studies.
“I want him to come back because you don’t know how he will be emotionally and psychologically at the time of his release, ” added the distraught mother who said her son faces racial abuse and discrimination in Cyprus.
She had been in touch with the son’s second lawyer but the lawyer was asked not to visit him in prison anymore, hence her worry how she will be providing him (her son) with financial assistance to be able to communicate with her.
Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi told New Era that the Interpol National Crime Bureau has not been formally informed of Nchindo’s case.